Clasp



May 13, 1924. 1,493,710

J. G. SMITH l CLASP Filed Nov. 16. 1923 Patented May 13, 1924.

i STATES JOHN e. SMITH, or wAHoo, NEBRASKA.

CLASP.

Application filed November 16, 1923. Serial No. 675,180.

To all whomz'z may concern:

'Be it known that -l., JOHN Gr. SMITH, a citizen orn the United States, residing at Vahoo, in the county of Saunders and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Claspsmf which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clasps and more particularly to clasps for closing shoe, legging and various kinds of plackets.

rl`he object or' the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient device of this character permanently attached to opposite sides of the placket and which may be quickly closed and opened to permit closing and f opening` of the placket.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment or the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ot' the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a shoe equipped with this improved clasp, a plurality of which are shown for closing the shoe.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the 'shoe upper showing the application of this clasp being illustrated in closed position in full lines and in open position in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line,4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a slightly different form of clasp shown applied, the shoe upper with which it is connected being in section; and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the clasp attaching members shown 1n Fig. 5.

The clasp 10 constituting this invention is shown applied to a shoe 1 having the usual placket 2 in the upper thereof to the side walls 4 of which the clasp is permanently attached and which is operable for closing and opening the placket. A tongue 5 is shown such as is ordinarily used with shoes. y A. plurality of these clasps 10 are ernployed for closing the 'placket 2 and are arranged in longitudinally spaced relation all of them being exactly alike except as regards size the smaller being located at the lower end of the placket and the larger toward the upper end.

Each of these clasps 10 comprises a longitudinally curved plate 11 preferably fenestrated lengthwise to permit the plate to yield slightly. The ends of plate 11 are bent laterally inward to provide flanges 12 which have slots or openings 13 `formed in the plate at the inner ends of the flanges. These slots are designed to receive the hooked ends of links 14 and 15 which connect the plate 11 with the attaching elements 16 and 17. The end of the link which is engaged with the plate 11 is rolled as shown at 18 in Fig. 3 being clinched after its passage through the slot 13. This link tapers toward its other end and vis provided at the side edges of said end with laterally extending lugs 19 which are pivotally engaged with openings in the side flanges 2O of the attaching element 14.

The attaching elements 14 and 15 are exactly alike and are preferably struck out of sheet metal being substantially U-shaped in cross section. As shown in Fig. 4 the flanges 20 of said member which are inclined slightly inward have their upper edges inclined longitudinally from one end of the member to the other as shown clearly in Fig. 6. These flanges 2O have openings 21 near one end for the reception of the lugs 19 of the link to be connected. These attaching clips 14 and 15 may be secured to the article in connection with which the clasps are to be used by rivets 25 as shown in Fig. 2 or by spurs 22 made integral with the clip as sho-wn in Figs. 5 and 6. The spurs after being passed through the niaterial of the article on which the clasp is mounted, are clinched as shown in Fig. 5 so that the members are securely connected on opposite sides of the placket 2. The flanges 2O of the clips are arranged closer together at the end opposite` that having the `openings 21 therein so that when the wider portion of the link 16 is swung down between these flanges they will clampiugly connect it and hold it engaged with the clip in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

1t is of course understood that the clips 14 and 15 are exactly alike as are also the links 16 and 17 and when these clips are attached to the opposite walls of the placket 2 said Walls may be drawn together by forcing the links carried by the ends of plate l1 down bet-Ween the flanges 20 of the clips in which position they will be held by said flanges.

The clasps used at the upper port-ion of the. placket preferably have one end of the plate l1 detachably connected with one of the links soi that the plate may be disengaged when desired from one of the attaclr ing clips.

The clasps herein shown and described are especially desirable for use on low shoes such as Oxfords but are well adapted for nigh shoes also.

It is of course understood that these clasps inay be constructed of any desired inetal and ornamented in any desired Inanner and that they may be used not only on shoes but on any other articles having plackets t0 be closed.

Various' changes in the forni, shape, proportion and other minor details of construction may be inade Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of' the claimed invention.

I claim l A clasp for Iclosing plackets and the like comprising attaching elements U- shaped in cross section with the flanges thereof converging toward one end, a. connecting plate, links connecting the ends of `said plate with the flanges of said elements,

said links tapering toward one end7 the Wide portion of the links being' designed to t between the narrower portion of said flanges for holding the plate in closed position 2. A clasp for closing plackets and the like comprising a resilient longitudinally curved plate having downturned flanges at one end with openings at the bases of said flanges, links having hook shaped ends pivotally engaged with the flanged open ends of said plate, and attaching elements pivotally connected with the other ends of' said links. said elements having parallel flanges between which the links are adapted to lie and be frictionally held by said flanges.

3. In a device of the class described, a longitudinally curved fenestrated plate having openings at its ends, links tapering toward one end and pivotally engaged at their wider ends with the openings of' said plate, attaching elements having side flanges converging toward one end, the free end of said links being pivotally engaged With the Wider ends of said flanges, said links being adapted to shut down between said flanges and be frictionally held thereby, and clinching spurs carried by said eleinents for connecting thein with the article with which the device is toy be used.

In testimony that I claini the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN G. SMITH.

Witnesses JOSEPH J. KUDRNA, Eine-EN J. HANsoN. 

